Dear Josua,

Yes, like you I too believe the first rapture will occur on some future Pentecost, hopefully this July 31. The reference link you provided to first fruits is one of my favorites and tend to agree with Lyn Mize on most things he has to say. The other link that I provided is excellent too. The point is made in it that there are only 3 Feasts in Lev. 23, the others are Holy Days, e.g., Yom Teruah, etc. The three Feasts of God are Passover, Pentecost and Tabernacles. On these Feasts the Jewish people had to make a pilgrimage to Jerusalem for the celebration and jubilee of these Feasts.

It is also interesting to note that only Pentecost has no association with a happening in the history of Israel, Passover relates to the Commandments given to Moses at Sinai, and Tabernacles relating to the 40 years of wandering before reaching the promised land. Pentecost is defined by 50 days from the seven Sabbaths and is not related to the history of Israel. Therefore, Pentecost is a sort of unique Feast.

The two-phase rapture of Lyn Mize is similar to that of Langford in the recent article I provided a link to. That is, the first fruits rapture will occur at Pentecost for the Bride of Christ, a subset of the entire Church which consists of all believers. At the second, or main harvest, rapture the remaining Christian believers who were not watching and working at sanctification, based on their following of Jesus since their rebirth, will be raptured and the remaining believers on earth after that time will come into being during the Tribulation.

Thank you for your message and I am happy to hear of your belief in Pentecost as the time of the first rapture. It makes good sense and is supported, and not refuted, by Holy Scripture, to the best of my knowledge.

YBIC,

Robert